masterpiece

we were so close to three stars. hell, i'll admit i was having a fun time half the book. that tension? the plot and that anger? the story was set up literally perfectly but then we get whatever the hell those last 200 pages were.

"work your therapy magic and fix her" holy absolute hell with the way i lost all respect. genuinely surprised i even had any left with his behavior?? holding on and hoping for this man child to get himself straight, but naaaahh. what an absolute FOOL i was. redemption arc WHERE

they argued like teenagers the entire book. their banter was equivalent to a baby tantrum. she literally stomped her feet. lady, you are 40. didn't know we had a goddamn horse as our fmc.

enough of me being a hater. the story was fun for half the book. their hatred, despite its absolute unseriousness, felt reasonable for emotionally traumatized people. there's flashbacks throughout, which definitely motivates you to continue. the characters themselves are much more memorable than book two personally. i do wish i had more overall enjoyment of this series but definitely do know people who would love this.

can always count on lucy score to create the most dramatically unique plots in romance. i enjoyed the backstory behind each character far more in this compared to twngo, but goddamn was i BORED. her writing is addicting but the characters here just aren't memorable enough for me to care.

the dog and slow burn carried the book

quick premise a romantasy novel where we follow princess morgane living inside a kingdom trapped from the outside world. although the stone walls are said to protect, there are countless attempts made on morgane's and her brother's lives. and with the king's merciless and strange behavior, morgane flees from warnings, searching for answers.

morgane meets finn (and a lovely bird companion), who both are determined to protect their people. as they progress, morgane can either choose the footsteps her father carved, or she will choose to fight the monster she was forced to become.

quick thoughts this was such a fun read. the characters are lovely and filled with growth throughout the story. this book feels like a dark fairytale that reminds you of countless other books but still twisted in its own uniqueness. from an interesting plot to beautifully written characters, anyone with an interest in fantasy and romance will be hooked. there was plenty of mysteries that have you questioning where the story will lead.

originally translated in czech to english, this author did a wonderful job creating such a mesmerizing world. thank you for the arc!!

think we all need a julius gong in our life

ANN LIANG THE WRITER YOUU ARE ???

this just made my night. on my way to book two. NOBODY SPEAK TO ME. why did no one shove this book down my throat a year ago

wait this was so stupidly fun

DNF

all the thanks to the publisher and author giving me this arc via netgalley!

this follows daciana, an apprentice to the village's apothecary, and sorin, the head of guards. although their lives couldn't be any more different, the two find themselves solving a murder case together, inevitably leading to strong characters and a cute little romance.

the atmosphere is perfect for a cozy mystery-romance with small fantasy elements. the characters are also very likeable. though they have their own struggles, they both focus on having humanity and bringing each other up. overall, this was a fun story with family drama and grief. the romance had forehead kisses, hand holding, and just a very clean premise.

i think this book is perfect for:

• bringing someone out of a reading slump
• a little bit of thinking but much more vibes
• clean romance with sweet scenes
• no intense world-building but instead, lighthearted fantasy
• a quick simple read

why i decided not to continue:

this book definitely has its audience who would adore this. but i guessed everything that happened from the very start. and although a complex mystery wasn't the goal here, i don't think i could find myself enjoying the plot any further with the constant non-discreet writing. the writing (it is an arc, so changes are likely) felt everything telling than any showing. but these preferences are definitely more on me than the book itself :)

quick premise a kingdom of salt and stone is a fantasy world where mortals are gifted different divine powers from gods. we follow maeve who ends up being chosen, but soon she can't help but find the power as a burden. with gemstones imbued into her cheek, her power is far too dangerous. and as threats on her life strengthen, she's forced to be watched under a guard at all times. navigating through betrayals, political war, and her own personal struggles: maeve fiercely battles to protect what she loves.

quick thoughts this was such a perfect mixture of world-building and character dynamics. everyone was likeable but also different in their own ways. i love me my found family moments, and despite the seriousness, this book was layered well in lighthearted fun scenes. the loyalty in the friend group bounced off very clearly, and although everyone had their own personal struggles, they all persevered and fought together.

also the way i tell you this was such a good mental health rep. maeve's severe anxiety in every scene of panic was spot on. not only was her mental health represented well, but the way other characters reacted was perfect and beyond supportive.

the only issue i had was the often disagreeing, hot n cold, and turbulent moments between a few characters. it did grow quite frustrating at some points, but at the same time it felt very needed, representing their personal battles even more.

read this if you want

• well balanced world-building. not super simple but not complex
• banter & fun moments
• amazing mental health rep
• found family
• a war college theme

I want whatever magical writing this is.

note: I do not support this author. my mistake was realizing too late after having already bought the book, therefore, i'm not continuing the series.